It is thought that the Galapagos housed a population of roughly 200,000-300,000 giant tortoises, before humans arrived. This compares to a population of around 15,000 at the current time. Rangers have been trying to boost the rate of recovery, by taking eggs from the wild, raising the tortoises in captivity and releasing them, when their survival is more likely – with 560 animals returned to the wild in 2023 (it should be noted, that wild this is an impressive number, at that rate, it would take several centuries for the population to fully recover).
The project (Iniciativa Galapagos) aims to rewild 15 species across the range, including the giant tortoise, iguana and wandering tortoise.
Continue reading “Hundreds of giant tortoises have returned to the wild across the Galapagos”
